Undershirt



(No Model.)

J. 0. SANFORD. UNDERSHIRT.

No. 432,442. Patented July 15,1890.

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, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. SANFORD, OF COI-IOES, NEWV YORK.

UNDERSHIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,442, dated July 15, 1890.

Application filed April 19 1890. Serial No. 34 8,616- (No Specimens.)

To all whom it Wmy concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN C. SANFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cohoes, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Under Shirts and Vests, of which the following is a specification.

In knit undershirts as ordinarily constructed the edges of the front opening are provided with button and button-hole staybands composed of cloth or similar material sewed upon the outside of the knit fabric, which construction is clumsy and neither attractive nor ornamental.

The presentinvention relates to rib-knitted wearing-apparel, such as vests, shirts, and like under-garments; and it has for its object to provide anovel, ornamental, and attractive article of the kind alluded to and to provide a novel construction of the knit front in connection with the attached stay-bands which carry the button and button-holes or equivalent fastenin gs, whereby finished and ornamented edges of the knit fabric overlap the vertical edges of the outer cloth or stay-band to show as an inlaid front of material and color that contrast with the knit fabric comprising the garment, While serpentine or otherwise ornamented vertical edges of the front opening constitute free lapels that are exposed on the exterior of such outer stay-band.

The invention also has for its object to provide the lower edge of a knit shirt with a novel rib-knitted shirt-band which is knitted as an integral part of the shirt and is so contracted and expanded as to form a curved stay that prevents the skirt of the shirt from working up around the hip and seat portions of the body.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by the features and construction hereinafter described, and specified in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of a knitted undershirt embodying my invention, showing the front stay-band partially unbuttoned. Fig. 2 is a detail view on a larger scale, showing the front of the shirt closed; and Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on the line a: as, Fig. 2.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use myinventioml'will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, Where The numeral 1 indicates the bust portion, 2 the skirt portion, and 3 the contracted waist portion, of a contracted rib-knitted undershirt,which, as here shown, is provided with long sleeves. The shirt or vest, after being knitted and united, is cut out at the chest portion to form a rectilinear opening extending from the neck portion downward, and the edges of this opening are then finished off in any suitable manner to form a serpentine ornamental margin entirely around the open ing A stay-band 4 of cloth or other material, having attached buttons 5, is sewed upon the inside of the knit shirt at the right-hand side of the front opening along the line (5 in such manner that the ornamental serpentine margin of the shirt extends over upon the exterior of such stay-band and forms an overlying lap 7, which is free to be moved outward, so that the free edge of the button-hole stay-band can beinserted thereunder, as hereinafter explained. The button-carrying band at may be of an inferior grade of cloth, since it is wholly covered and concealed by the button-hole band and the knitted fabric of the shirt when the latter is in use. The buttonhole stay-band 8 may be of silk, satin, orother fancy material and it is sewed upon the inside of the shirt at the left-hand side of the front opening along the line 9, so that the ornamental serpentine margin of the shirt extends over upon the exterior of the buttonhole band and forms an overlying lap 10, which is unattached to such band 8, except at the line of stitches 9.

In wearing the shirt the button-holes are engaged with the buttons, and the free vertical edge of the button-hole band is passed beneath the overlying serpentine lap' 7, the entire construction'being such that when in the position stated the opposite Vertical edges of the outside fancy band 8 are covered and concealed by the overlying laps 7 and 10, and therefore shows as an inlaid front-fast ening band of material and color that contrast with the knit fabric of the shirt. The construction has an ornamental and attractive effect and is regarded superior to the ordinary bands secured to the shirt, as hereinbefore described. The vertical serpentine edges that form the laps 7 and 10 are formed of yarns or cords secured by stitches on the raw edges left by reason of cutting out the rectilinear opening; but obviously the raw edges can be finished in any desired fashion with any suitable material. The verticallyribbed band 12 at the lower end of the skirt of the shirt, instead of being knit as a separate part and subsequently looped on, is knitted as a continuation or integral part of the skirt, and from the line 13, where the ribbed band commences, it is curved. inwardly and then outwardly to form the centrallyeontraetcd portion 14- and expanded lower portion 15, thereby forming astay which preventsthe lower end of the skirt working upward upon the person. The expanded lower edge portion 15 is finished oil? in any suitable manner. The vertical rib-knit band is not broadly new; but the central contraction LL and expanded lower edge 15 are, I believe, novel in a knit shirt, which, in connection with the band being knit integral with the skirt, constitute a very useful and desirable construction for the purpose stated.

In knit under shirt-s or vests having the usual silk or other more costly stay-band exposed along' the vertical ed when the shirt or vestis closed on the wearer the edges of such silk or fancy bands become frayed and worn to an unsightly appearance. By my construction this is entirely avoided, as the vertical edges of the outer stay-band are covered by the free overlying knitted lapels, and hence such bands can be made of elaborate and costly textures without danger of unduly fraying or wearing out the edges.

What I claim as my invention is As an improved article of manufacture, a knit undershirt having a rectangular front opening closed at the lower end above the waist portion and containing, a button staybaud and an ornamental linitton-hole stayband, which bands are permanently sewed to the inside of the shirt in proximity to the edges of the rectangular opening to provide exposed ornamental lapels that loosely overlie the vertical edges of the ornamental button-hole stay-band, said button-hole stayband being" coextensive with the rectangular shirt-opening, covering and concealing the button stay-band and along its median line dctachably engaging the buttons on the but; ton stay-ban d, substantially as described.

In testimonywhereof I have aftixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. SANFORD.

Witnesses:

AARON GODDARD, WILLIAM M. GODDARD. 

